Soft Life Discipline: No Squat Rack? My Cable Protocol for Powerful Glutes and Lean Legs

Fitness, Weighttraining

Today, I share training supersets that I perform easily on a cable machine when I cannot access a squat rack. This is my lighter-leg day training routine that I do at least twice a week in my private apartment gym. However, I do my heavy-leg day training routine at the “Big Girls” gym once a week, usually on a Sunday or Monday, when I’m more likely to be mentally and physically refreshed. Unlike my private apartment gym, the “Big Girls” gym offers me access to squat racks and heavier lifting gear.

Movement Pointers In this Video

  • Warm up thoroughly and always work within your range
  • Adopt a steady breathing state: avoid starting a set if you are out of breath. Steady your breath first, and then start your set
  • Use good form over reps:
    • Reps and sets for each exercise: 4 sets x 8-12 reps or until good form failure occurs
  • Use slow, controlled movement: 
    • Focus your mind and feel the muscles engage and burn. Embrace those good burning moments
    • If you struggle with mind-muscle connection, tap or slap the muscle, i.e,. glutes before performing your set
  • No ego training:
    • Use moderate weight – you want to feel the weight, not heave it
    • Sacrificing form for weight means it’s too heavy for you. It reduces the effectiveness of your training as other muscles will pick up the load, rather than the ones you are meant to be training
  • Work to keep the chest lifted during squat movements. Avoid rolling or dumping the shoulders (or the upper body) forward (see timecode: 2:26)
  • Brace the core:
    • Avoid pushing your belly out during the bottom of any movement. You want to keep the core engaged, which supports your spine, keeps you in a strong position, and stops energy leaks
  • Contract your quads and glutes to keep the knees stable
  • Drive up through your heels to keep the activation in your glutes. Avoid pushing from your toes.
    • Advanced technique: lift the toes of the floor and balance your weight on your heels (see timecode: 2:34)
  • Stiff-legged work:
    • Allow a slight bend in the knees to keep the knees happy. Over 40, your joints will thank you for it
  • Squat work:
    • Avoid squatting too low, even if you have the range, as it can take all the working emphasis off your glutes (see timecode: 2:42)
    • Watch out for “Butt-winks” rolling the pelvis under during the deeper part of the squat. This poor movement pattern can cause lower back issues (see timecode:  3:07)
  • Advanced technique: Use a different grip method with a D-handle during a cable squat. Shifts the weight balance, where you can get deep under the weight (see timecode: 2:50)
  • Supported single-leg squats:  (see timecode 3:27) it’s a nice “add-on exercise” for single-leg strength, ankle mobility, and stability drill for a better-balanced squat (i.e, no hip-shift during a squat due to an imbalance)
    • Keep the chest lifted – stay as upright as possible
    • Keep the pelvic floor lifted, drawn up, and in. Avoid dumping or sagging in the bottom position
    • Contract the quads
    • Drive through the heels, not the knee
    • Use a lighter weight in the stack to make it more challenging
      • Test it first by starting a little heavier, use your other leg for support before jumping into a full single-leg movement, and always check behind you for safety
      • In this instance, the lighter the weight, the more challenging the movement
    • Don’t overgrip to pull yourself up from the squat. Your upper body should not be taking on the load of the weight. If you have straps, use those around your wrists (not hands) to prevent the upper body from taking over (see timecode: 4:16)
    • To add more intensity to the drill. Keep the leg extended in front of you and drive up through the heel from the bottom position.  If you don’t yet have the hamstring range or quad strength, add a slight bend to the extended leg (see timecode 4:30).

Finish off your training session with a cool-down stretch. Focus on calming your breath. Give thanks to your body for working hard and well for you. For me I place my hand on my heart while I do this, and it seems to calm my system down.

Feel those happy endorphins. You can tell by how calm your mind has become. That’s a sign of a meaningful, purposeful training session! You want more of those in your life. As it feels so good, you’ll naturally gravitate towards more feel-good training sessions – trust the body, it will show you the way – providing you listen to its quiet voice.

Now, let’s dip into some straight talk.

Mindset Management

1. You Cannot Out-train Poor Eating Habits (The Golden Rule)

If I want a strong, lean physique, exercise alone won’t get me there. I cannot outperform poor nutrition, eating, or sleeping habits. Eating well for my physical goals is the golden rule for a tightly developed, lean but shapely physique. I remind myself that the muscle on my frame creates the curves and adds shape to my physique, and a low-quality eating routine simply will not serve that goal.

  • Accountability: There is no escaping that What I Eat in Private – I Carry in Public. That’s a good thing! The same applies to all those training sessions I did or didn’t do. Every effort shows.

2. Embrace the Word “No” for Freedom

To make big or small changes to my body (or in life, for that matter), I must avoid the status quo trap. I actively embrace the word “NO” and embrace the application of self-discipline. My ability to discipline myself in those moments—those times I self-parent and tell myself “NO” to an extra serving or divert an emotional eating trigger—ultimately sets me free.

Courage and Self-Respect: This demands courage, determination, and most of all, self-respect. I honor my thoughts, my words, and my actions by holding and keeping myself accountable at all times.

Jocko’s Law: I live by the mantra: “Discipline Equals Freedom.”

3. Own All My Choices (Liberating Self-Control)

Bottom line: I choose how I want to show up in life, and I wear all of my effort, or lack thereof. I wear my strengths or weaknesses, my wise or poor choices, my courage, my discipline, my private toil. I understand that only I am responsible for the choices I make, the food I eat, how I treat my body, and how I show up for myself day in and day out—and knowing this is truly liberating!

So let’s get back to the training.

Self-Coach Elevate Question of the Day:

In the context of your physique goals, what is one “NO” you will honor this week to reinforce your self-discipline and freedom?

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Until next time.

 

 

Disclaimer: This content is For Educational and Informational Purposes Only. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition, disease, or illness. Not a Substitute for or to replace Medical Advice. Consult Your Physician or Health Care Provider anytime you plan to make changes to your diet, eating, or exercise patterns. No Affiliation to any products mentioned or used in this content.